Memorial Park Association

History & Purpose

The Memorial Park Association, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Florida non-profit entity dedicated to the protection and preservation of Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida. It was created in 1986 by a group of park enthusiasts and local philanthropists concerned with Memorial Park’s persistent state of decline and disrepair, just a year after Memorial Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Riverside (now Riverside-Avondale) National Historic District. In 1987 the Association entered an Adopt-a-Park Agreement with the City of Jacksonville, which has since enabled it to perform various operations and maintenance functions, including necessary physical improvements, consistent with the historical character of the park and concurrent with the City’s obligation to maintain Memorial Park for the greater public good. In 1988, the Association commissioned initial restoration plans for the park. By 1992, a project to restore the iconic memorial sculpture Life was initiated for the first time since its installation in 1924. Another followed in 2004. Between 1993 and 2012, the Association facilitated numerous projects and initiatives to further preserve and protect the park, including the installation of ornamental metal fencing around the perimeter and upgrades to the irrigation and lighting systems, the planting of oaks and other native vegetation, the renovation of the entrance piers, plaza, balustrades, and fountain basin, and the dedication of marble benches to honor various important friends of Memorial Park, just to name a few.

Current Efforts & Goals

In 2012, the Memorial Park Association initiated major planning efforts to restore and rehabilitate Memorial Park to its original grandeur. With the help of Atlanta-based landscape architect David Sacks (RLA)—who took painstaking efforts to fully research the history and significance of the origins of the park, from sketches and plans of hardscape and plantings to detailed correspondence between Ninah Cummer and the Olmsted Brothers—the Association now has a viable master plan to use as the foundation for an ambitious capital campaign and restoration project that will span the next several years. Further details regarding the master plan and capital campaign will be posted, so please continue to check the website for updates. In the interim, the Memorial Park Association will continue its efforts to operate and maintain Memorial Park in concert with the City of Jacksonville. With no paid staff and an all-volunteer board of dedicated directors, the Association will also embark on efforts to engage the community to enhance its volunteer and donor base, promote the park to citizens and visitors across the region, and perpetuate the beauty and character of Memorial Park for generations to come. If you are interested in learning more about the Memorial Park Association, please click here to contact us.

Current Leadership: Board of Directors and Officers

The Memorial Park Association is comprised of an all-volunteer board of directors, each elected by the board, who serve as chairs and members of various committees that oversee the preservation of the park in perpetuity and officers elected from the board to serve on the Executive Committee to help the City of Jacksonville to manage the park’s day-to-day operations and maintenance needs. Currently the Memorial Park Association has no paid staff. A list of the active directors and officers is as follows: